Aghyaran Parish Bulletin

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SUNDAY 13 SEPTEMBER 2026
Twenty Fourth Sunday Ordinary Time
NEWSLETTER FOR THE PARISHES OF THE WEST TYRONE PASTORAL AREA:
Aghyaran ⬧ Ardstraw West & Castlederg ⬧ Drumquin
REV PAUL FRASER PP, Tel:028 816 71393; REV THOMAS CANNING CC, Tel: 028 82831 2 25
Parish Office: Parochial House, 16 Castlefin Road, Castlede rg, BT81 7BT. Tel: 028 816 71393
Parish websites (including access to church webcams) and emails:
Aghyaran: Website: parishofaghyaran.com Email: aghyaranparish@derrydiocese.org
Drumquin: Website: drumquinparish.com Email: drumquin@derrydiocese.org
Ardstraw West & Castlederg: Web: castledergparish.com Email: castledergparish@derrydiocese.org
DIOCESAN SAFEGUARDING DESIGNATED LIAISON PERSON:
Ms Marie O’Kane – Telephone 07596500793 Email: dlp@derrydiocese.org
SCHEDULE FOR THIS WEEK:
DAY AGHYARAN ARDSTRAW WEST &
CASTLEDERG DRUMQUIN
Monday
14 Sept
Mass, Castlederg: 7.30pm
Mass, 10.00am
Rosary, 8.00pm, Grotto
Tuesday
15 Sept Mass, 10.00am
Wednesday
16 Sept Liturgy of the Word,
With Holy Communion Liturgy of the Word,
With Holy Communion Mass, 10.00am,
with school children
attending
Thursday
17 Sept Mass, 10.00am, followed by
Adoration until 12.00noon,
with school children
attending Mass
Friday
18 Sept Mass, Castlederg: 10.00am,
followed by Adoration until
12.00noon,
with school children
attending Mass
Saturday
19 Sept
Vigil Mass, 7.30pm:

Months Mind - Danny O'Donnell

Vigil Mass, Castlederg,
6.15pm
Vigil Mass: 5.00pm
Sunday
20 Sept
Mass, 11.00am
Mass: Dregish, 9.30am
Drumnabey,12.30pm
Mass in Castlederg on
2nd and 4th Sunday
Mass, 11.00am
THANK YOU for your generosity in last week’s collection:
AGHYARAN: £923 & €65. Church Restoration Fund: £735 & €35.
ARDSTRAW WEST & CASTLEDERG: £2,014 & €30, made up of:
Castlederg £1,179 & €24, Drumnabey £561 & €1, Dregish £274 & €5. DRUMQUIN: £694.
We gratefully acknowledge receipt of £250 donation for church funds in Castlederg. Th ank you.
As always, thank you very much to all who contribute by Standing Order.
ARDSTRAW WEST AND CASTLEDERG Parish Draw: Returns for September ’s draw should be made to
the Parochial House this Thursday, 17 September, between 6.00 and 7.30pm. The next draw will take place
on Sunday 27 September in St Patrick’s Hall, Castlederg.
There are just a few tickets left – if you are not in the draw but would like to join, talk to the promoter i n
your area or contact Kathleen in the Parish Office . If you’re not in, you can’t win!
Aghyaran https://www.parishofaghyaran.com

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BISHOP MICHAEL ROUTER will be installed as the new Bishop of Derry next Sunday, 20 September, in
St Eugene’s Cathedral, Derry, at 3.00pm. As the diocese and parishes prepare to celebrate this joyous
occasion, Bishop McKeown has invited the priests of the diocese to hol d special times of prayer in our
parishes this week, to pray for Bishop Router as he takes up the responsibility of leading and serving the
people of the diocese as Bishop. In our Pastoral Area we will have special prayers for Bishop Router at our
10.00am weekday Masses this week – on Wednesday (Drumquin) , Thursday (Aghyaran) and Friday
(Castlederg) . Children from our primary schools will attend these Masses. You are invited to co me along,
if you can, to join in prayer for Bishop Router at this significant time for him and for our diocese. We will
also have special prayers at our Masses next weekend.
This is also a significant week for Bishop McKeown, who will retire as of next Sunda y. At this time of
transition for him, you are asked to keep Bishop McKeown in your prayers too .
PASTORAL VISITATION OF THE HOUSEBOUND will take place this week as follows:
Monday 14 September: Drumquin Town Area - Segully Road, McCrea Park, Castlederg Road, Main Street,
Creaghmore Road, Fairgreen Gardens and Loughrey Terrace, commencing at 11.00am - F r Thomas.
ST VINCENT DE PAUL members will meet in the Parochial House, Drumquin this Wednesday, 16 September, at
7.30pm. If you would like to become involved in SVP, you are very welcome to come along t o this meeting.
PIONEER MEETING will take place in the Parochial House, Drumquin, this Thursday, 17 September, at 7.30pm.
QUEEN’S UNIVERSITY CATHOLIC CHAPLAINCY reopens for the new academic year on Monday 14 September,
with weekday Masses and our semester programme resuming. The first Sunday Ma ss will be celebrated on 20
September at the new, earlier time of 7.00pm. Find out about what’s on, ways to c onnect and get involved, and student
accommodation at Ryan Hall at qubcatholic.org and on our socials. Visit our newly renewed Chaplaincy at 28 Elmwood
Avenue for Mass, Confessions or candle-lighting — and call into Mosaic for coffee, hot lunches and home-baked treats.
YOGA CLASS: Aghyaran Development Association in conjunction with HARC is commencing a 6-w eek Yogo class for
over 50’s in Aghyaran Centre, commencing Tues 15 September, 11.30am - 12.30pm. Contact Jerry on 078 6492 9344.
LINE DANCING in Garvagh Hall commences on Monday 21 September: Absolute Beginners – 6.00pm - 7.30pm; High
Beginners/Improvers - 7.45pm - 9.30pm. Doors open 5.45pm. Adults £7, Chil dren under 10 £5 (must be accompanied
by an adult). Wear comfortable footwear and bring a bottle of water.
HOST FOR HOSPICE: October is officially Foyle Hospice Coffee Morning Month. We are callin g on supporters to help
us raise vital funds by hosting a Coffee Morning. Whether it’s at home, work or in y our local community, you can support
your local hospice by bringing your friends together and putting the kettle on - it’s a piece of cake! To request your
FREE host pack or for more info, please call Ailbhe McDaid on 028 7135 9888 or email: ailbh e@foylehospice.com
EARLY TO TALK ABOUT CHRISTMAS, BUT TROCAIRE WANT TO KNOW - Could You Help Share the True Spirit
of Christmas? Each year, volunteers in parishes across the north of Ireland set up a small stal l after Masses to
sell Trócaire’s Gifts of Change — meaningful gifts that make a real difference to families living in poverty around the
world. We provide everything you need, including training and support. If you would like to find out more about how you
can help, please email Mark at mark.mcmahon@trocaire.org or call 028 9080 8030 .
Season of Creation 2026: 1 September to 4 October
With the theme of ‘ Living Water ’ for this year’s Season of Creation, we pray:
Holy God, whose Spirit hovered over the waters at the beginning,
we gather as part of your community of all creation, thirsty for your grace.
We give thanks for the gift of water, the veins of our common home,
that sustains the cedar and the whale, the pasture and the city.
We are grateful for the local waters that nourish our homelands and our fellow creatures.
We give thanks that in your well-watered garden, every drop is a sacred testament to your l ove.
Yet, we confess that we have treated this gift as a mere commodity.
We have choked the seas with our waste and watched the warming tides rise in judgment.
Melt our frozen hearts, O God, and let the waters of repentance flow.
Lord of all Life, you promised that wherever the river flows, everything shall live.
Stir in us a calling to care for the waters and to honour the dignity of the thirsty.
May your Word be a spring within us, gushing for the healing of the nations.
May Christ our Lord who is Living Water refresh us for the work of restoration.
And may the Holy Spirit carry us on currents of grace until justice rolls down like wate rs
and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. Amen.